I stayed in Okinawa after my stint as a G.I. to complete my personal, People-to-People project - The First Okinawa Grand Prix.

I'd trained the 60 competitors, the ground crews and flagmen. We'd raised enough money to send an Okinawan lad to Akron to compete in the Soap Box Derby; he dropped the flag to start my great race. There were 250,000 spectators. I won my class but at 11:30 that night was still coiling up the rope fences and had to miss the party. Serves me right, I look altogether too cocky in that hat!